by note of the 17th instant, on Monday, the 9th instant, five companies of Colonel Green's and five companies of Colonel Bagby's regiments marched; also on the 10th instant five companies of Colonel Reily's regiment took up their line of march.

There are other companies of the regiments now ready to march, but their progress has been stopped by the impassable condition of the roads and streams; and although the line of march is under water, and San Jacinto and Trinity Rivers are so high as to overflow for a long distance the country, yet troops will press forward as rapidly as possible. The remaining companies of Reily's and Green's regiments will be on the road before Saturday next. When the remainder of Colonel Bagby's regiment will march depends upon transportation; he is using every exertion to get ready.

Up to the arrival of Captain W. H. Harrison, brigade quartermaster, there were no funds in the regimental quartermaster's hands to purchase supplies and the brigade had no credit.

Respectfully, yours,

JAMES REILY,

Commanding Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WESTERN LOUISIANA,
Alexandria, La., February 19, 1863.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have just returned to my headquarters at this post, and beg respectfully to acknowledge the receipt of your communication ot the 28th ultimo, having relation to the late of the enemy in Northeastern Louisiana. * The facts therein cited are substantially correct. In the latter part of December, 1862, while in the southern portion of the State, near Berwick Bay, I received from Brigadier-General Blanchard various dispatches to the effect that the enemy were advancing into the interior and that Monroe was threatened. At the earliest possible moment I went to Monroe, where I learned the true state of affairs to have been much as described in your letter. A body of the enemy had advance to Dallas, and thence a small party or squadron of mounted men had penetrated to Delhi by a road unknown to General Blanchard or at least unguarded, destroyed the railroad, the bridges, and a small amount of Government property. I had previously given to General Blanchard the most minute instructions in regard to the disposition of his forces on the immediate river front and the necessary steps to be taken in the event of an attack by a superior force of the enemy. These instructions were either not carried out all or so badly executed as to induce me to reliever Colonel Pagroud, the officer in command of the forces opposed to the enemy, from command.

This officer had been placed in command of a regiment of cavalry composed of Lieutenant-Colonel Chambliss's battalion of Partisan Rangers and four independent companies, and application for his appointment forwarded to the War Department. He had highly recommended to me as an officer who had considerable experience in the French service. The application, however, was never acted upon by the Department, and after the occurrence of the above facts he was imme-

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* See also Sparrow to Seddon, January 19, 1863, and see Series I, Vol. XVII, for Burbridge's report of the expedition from Miliken's Bend.

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